Part 6

Their fidelity to each other is said to be very great. Anderson tells us, that having struck one of two whales, a male and female, that were in company, the wounded fish made a long and terrible resistance; it struck down a boat with three men in it, with a single blow of the tail, by which all went to the bottom: The other fish attended its companion, and lent it every assistance, till, at last, the fish that was struck, sunk under the number of its wounds; while its faithful associate, disdaining to survive the loss, stretched itself upon the dead fish, and shared its fate.

The ancients were not unacquainted with the _Balæna mysticetus_, though they do not seem to have had any knowledge of its uses. Their acquaintance with the spermaceti whale, found in the Indian ocean, was somewhat more accurate. It is interesting to observe, in the account of Nearchus’s Voyage, as given by Arrian,[31] the terror of the sailors when they first perceived the blowing of these animals. As soon as this ancient navigator had successfully conducted his fleet past a single whale, he received an applause equal to what he could have expected had he vanquished an enemy’s fleet.

[31] _Hist. Ind._ § 29 _and_ 30.

Whenever a whale is seen from the ship, one or more boats are sent in pursuit; and if they get close to it, the harpooner strikes it with his harpoon; but should the boat not get near enough for this purpose, he heaves the harpoon at the whale with great skill. As soon as the animal finds itself wounded, it descends, dragging the line fastened to the harpoon after it with such velocity, that one of the crew is constantly obliged to pour water on the stem of the boat, to prevent its taking fire by the intense friction of the line. A hatchet is always at hand to cut the line, should it chance to get entangled. A large whale will sometimes run out the lines of two boats.[32] As soon as a whale is _struck_, they hoist a flag, or _jack_, in the boat, which being seen by the ship, the crew all run about the decks crying “_A fall, A fall_;” as much as to say, “_He’s fast, He’s fast._” Immediately all hands, except a few to take care of the ship, get into the boats with great expedition, and repair to the place where they expect the whale will rise to breathe. When it appears, they strike it again, and so on till there are sometimes three or four harpoons fast. When the whale becomes fatigued, and is severely wounded, it throws up water mixed with blood, and immediately the whole boats surround the groaning monster, and dispatch it with their spears. At this moment, the sea, to a considerable distance, looks as if tinged with vermilion. In dying, the noise occasioned by the whale’s lashing the water with its tail and fins, is heard to a very great distance.

[32] Fifteen hundred fathoms.

As soon as a whale is killed, it is towed by the boats to the ship, and being made fast by tackles placed at the nose and tail, is immediately stripped of its blubber. This process is by Greenland sailors termed _flinching_, and is very speedily performed. The harpooners and their assistants cut the blubber into long stripes, which are hoisted into the ship, cut into smaller pieces, and thrown into the hold, from whence they are again brought upon deck to be pared and barrelled up. In _flinching_, the whale is turned round by a tackle made fast to the fins.

The process of paring and barrelling up the blubber, is termed _making off_, and is performed at leisure times when the crew are not engaged in the pursuit of live whales. The blubber being brought upon deck, the fleshy parts are pared off, and it is then placed, piece by piece, on a block, having three iron spikes in the top to keep it steady; here it is skinned by a harpooner, and is then ready for _chopping_. This operation is performed by the boat-steerers, who cut the blubber into pieces of about one foot long, and three inches square at the ends. When it is _chopped_ they push it off the bench into the _speck trough_, placed by the side of the hatchway, having what is called a _lull bag_ attached to a hole in the bottom for the purpose of letting down the _chopped_ blubber to a tub in the hold. The blubber is afterwards put, piece by piece, into the bung-hole of the casks, which are all fixed for that purpose previous to the vessel’s leaving home.

The _Balæna mysticetus_, notwithstanding its immense size, is exposed to the multiplied assaults of various enemies inhabiting its own element. Of these, the most dangerous is said to be the _Physeter microps_, or Black-headed Spermaceti Whale. The voracity of this species is very great. Its ordinary food is the seal; but if it does not find a sufficient quantity of them for its prey, it attacks the common whale, and even the shark, and tears them to pieces. The Sea Unicorn, or _Monodon monoceros_, is another of the whale’s enemies; and it is said that they never meet without engaging in combat. Its immense tusk, or horn, generally gives it a superiority over the whale. Marten gives an account of a combat between the Saw-Fish, _Squalus pristis_, and the Iceland whale, to which he was an eye witness. It was extremely dangerous to approach the field of battle, and his observations were therefore made at a distance. The water was greatly agitated, and rose to an immense height, accompanied with a noise that stunned the ears of the hearers. A fog coming on prevented Marten from ascertaining the result of this direful combat; but he was informed by the sailors that the whale was generally vanquished; and that they kept aloof till such time as the saw-fish, eating the tongue, relinquished the carcass, which they made their prey.

A species of crab, vulgarly called the whale-louse, the _Oniscus ceti_ of Fabricius, if not the most dangerous, is perhaps the most troublesome of the whale’s enemies. We scarcely took any whales but had one or two of these vermin fastened to them. The _Oniscus ceti_ is about the size of a small crab, and is covered with remarkably hard scales. Head similar to that of the _Pediculus humanus_, with four horns, two of which serve as feelers; the other two are hard, curved, and serve as clinchers to fix the animal to the whale. Underneath its chest, the _Oniscus_ has two carvers, like scythes, with which it collects its food; and behind these are four feet, that serve it for oars. It has six other clinchers behind, which rivet it so closely to the whale, that it cannot be disengaged but by cutting out the entire piece to which it is joined. The _Oniscus_ is jointed in the back like the tail of a lobster, and the tail covers it like a shield when feeding. It fixes itself upon the tenderest part of the whale’s body, between the fins, on the sheath, or on the lips, and in this position tears pieces out of the whale like a rapacious vulture.

Dr. Colquhoun gives the following statement of the value of the whale-bone and whale-oil imported into Great Britain in the following years:

1805 £663,535 6 608,206 7 521,240 8 544,567 9 500,715 10 566,967

24th, Latitude at midnight, by observation, 81° 12´ 42´´. Longitude, as near as our incorrect instruments would permit ascertaining, 12° 42´ E. Sea pretty clear of ice, with a considerable swell.

25th and 26th, Continued cruising near the ice in search of whales, and were fortunate enough to capture three, two of which were size fish.

28th, Latitude, by observation, 81° 50´. Sea almost quite clear of ice, with a great swell; weather serene. Had our object been the making of discoveries, there was not _apparently_ any thing to have prevented us from going a good way farther to the north; at least we did not perceive any large fields of ice in that direction; though it is more than probable we should have very soon fallen in with them. We were a little farther north than Captain Phipps, who ran a great risk of being locked up entirely by the ice. He was, in fact, ice-bound from 31st July to 10th August, and during that time the packed ice rose as high as the main-yard. The want of ice in that place, where we then were, was perhaps owing to the effects of some late gale clearing it away. The great swell in the sea appeared to indicate this to have been the case.

In my second voyage to this country, in 1807, we could not penetrate higher than 78° 30´. A ridge of ice totally prevented our farther progress.

May 29th and 30th, Course nearly E. S. E. towards the Seven Islands. We had on the 30th a considerable quantity of bay ice, and made but little progress. Occasional showers of snow. Saw only one whale.

31st, Tacked to the W. S. W. Ice increasing. Saw several whales. Lay to for fishing. Got a very large whale, which measured sixty-four feet in length.

During the _flinching_ of the whales, there were generally a considerable number of sharks in the vicinity of the vessel. They were principally of that variety termed _Squalus pristis_, or Saw-Fish. At this time, one more voracious than the rest, approached close to the side of the whale’s carcass, and seized a large piece of blubber, which was ready to be hoisted on board. Before he could make his escape, however, he was struck by a harpoon, and his flight being thus obstructed, he was attacked with spears: a tackle was immediately fastened to his jaws, and being hoisted on deck, his belly was ripped open, and the blubber recovered. The carpenter, too, stripped a considerable quantity of skin from his tail. Notwithstanding this rude treatment, he was no sooner let down than he swam away with great agility.

The _Squalus pristis_, or Saw-Fish is often found upwards of fifteen feet long; with sword-shaped bony snout, nearly one-third the length of the fish, and denticulated on both sides: mouth placed beneath the anterior part of the head; jaws furnished with several rows of teeth; habit rather slender; body convex above, and somewhat flattened beneath; skin rough; colour greyish brown above, paler beneath.

June 1st, Continued in the same situation, being almost icebound. Sent out the boats after a whale, which made its escape below the ice after being struck; the lines of course were lost. The harpoons are marked with the names of the ship and captain, and if a whale that has been killed by one ship be found by another, she is obliged to deliver up a certain portion of the blubber to the former.

From June 1st to June 7th, the weather was, upon the whole pretty good, though the squalls were very frequent, accompanied by dense showers of snow. The rigging, by this time, had assumed a very strange appearance, at least what would be deemed as such by a more southern sailor. The ropes were frequently increased to double their usual size by the incrustations of ice, which had to be beat off by handspikes to allow them to pass through the blocks. The decks were every now and then besprinkled with saw-dust and sand, to counteract the slippiness arising from the combined effects of frost and grease. The cabin-floor, too, was covered with saw-dust, and the crew kept some of it in their pockets to clean their hands. In this space of time we catched five fish of different magnitudes.

During the time we were in those high latitudes, our compasses, five in number, varied widely from each other; but this is known to happen to all compasses, according as they are placed in different parts of the ship. That which was kept in the cabin varied the least. This may perhaps tend to confirm the opinion of some navigators, who have maintained that the polarity of the needle is injured by intense cold. The notion of the variation decreasing as the distance from the Pole diminishes, does not appear to have any foundation. According to Captain Phipps,

In Lat. 78° 22´ N. Long. 9° 8´ E. Mean var. was 14° 55´ 79 50 10 2 20 3 80 30 15 4 11 56

On referring to the Appendix, it will be seen that the variation, as observed in the Sybyll, in lat. 78° 11´, long. 6° 55´ E. amounted to 19° 6´. And by the same excellent observations, combined with those of Captain Flinders, it is proved that the variation depends more on the _ship’s course_ than on any thing else. It is much to be regretted that Captain Phipps did not mention the course his ship was under when he made his observations on the variation. As they stand at present, they want the most essential element.

8th, Latitude, by observation, 79° 42´. Sea nearly clear of ice. Course W. S. W. ½ S. At seven P. M. we discovered Hackluyt’s Headland, bearing E. N. E. distant four or five leagues. The weather was hazy, and we had but an indistinct view of this black precipitous promontory. Saw several whales, but got none.

June 9th, Intense frost. Observed the freezing of salt water. Shot two seals, one of which only we brought on board.

16th, Stood in nearer the shore to the south of Hackluyt’s Headland. Several of the sea-unicorns were here observed at no great distance from the ship. I noticed two which passed close under our stern, that had double horns of a considerable size. The unicorns make a great noise in blowing, and, when at a distance, are often mistaken for whales. We fired several shots at them, and mortally wounded a small one, which we brought on board. It measured 9½ feet in length, and its horn was four feet one inch.

The _Monodon monoceros_, _Narwhal_, or Unicorn Fish, has been found twenty-two feet long, and twelve round. Head nearly one-fourth the length of the body, round, small, and terminates in an obtuse rounded snout. Mouth small; no teeth, but a large wreathed tusk or horn. Sometimes two[33], and often ten feet long, proceeds from its upper jaw, diverging to one side, and tapering gradually towards the tip. Eyes and ears very small; one respiratory orifice in the back part of the head; back broad, convex, and tapering towards the tail, which is horizontally placed, and is divided into two obtuse oval lobes. Body of an ovoidal shape; no dorsal fins, but a high ridge or projection extends from the blow-hole to the origin of the tail, and gradually diminishes in height as it approaches the tail; two pectoral fins; colour generally cinereous, dappled with numerous multiform black spots; belly a shining white, and soft as velvet to the touch.

[33] There is at the Stadthouse at Amsterdam, the skull of a Narwhal, with two horns. There is likewise a skull to be seen in Hamburgh, having two horns, each above seven feet long, and eight inches round.

Naturalists differ greatly as to the food of the unicorn. Perhaps it differs with the parts of the ocean it inhabits. Small fishes, _Mollusca_ and _Actinea_, are their more general food.

The Narwhal swims with great swiftness, and, like the other cetacea, cannot remain long under the water without respiring. When frightened, or attacked, they huddle together in such numbers that they force their long horns into the body of each other, and thereby become an easy prey to their pursuers.

This animal, though seemingly harmless, is, as already mentioned, a dangerous enemy of the common whale; and has been known to dart its horn into the side of a ship[34]. The vessel must have sunk had not the horn been broken off by the violence of the stroke.

[34] Forst. Voy. p. 353.

The oil produced by the _Monodon monoceros_, though scanty, is, in point of quality, superior to any other cetaceous oil.

The horn of the Narwhal was long the object of a kind of superstitious respect. It was said to be efficacious in the cure of several distempers; and was prized as being of the very highest value. The Margraves of Bareuth possessed one which cost them 600,000 rix dollars; and the kings of Denmark have a most magnificent throne formed of these horns, which is esteemed more valuable than if composed of gold. Captain Scoresby (of the Resolution,) has a very fine bed made of the same materials. It is reckoned a great curiosity, and is extremely handsome. The horn is of a finer texture, and takes a better polish than that of the elephant.

11th, Got two fish. Several sail of Greenlandmen in company.

12th, Strong easterly breeze. Ran a considerable way to the westward.

13th and 14th, Gale increased, and we ran a considerable way farther to the westward. Cold very intense.

June 15th, Latitude, by observation, 78° 13´. Made fast to a large iceberg.

16th, Got a size fish. While we were made fast to this iceberg, some of the crew had put a piece of blubber to the fire, and, allured by the smell, a very large bear came and put his nose over the gunwale. One of the harpooners shot him; but a squall coming on, we did not bring the carcass on board.

From the 16th to the 21st, we caught four whales, of various sizes. The weather was now getting hazy, as it generally does at this season of the year, and the whales were become more difficult to catch.

22d, Spoke the Catharina Elizabeth, of Hanover, Captain Schultz, after being a considerable time separated from the rest of the Greenland ships. From her we learned that a French frigate, and some smaller vessels, were in the North. This intelligence determined us not to lessen our distance from Spitzbergen, but to shape our course to England by the Feroe Isles. This determination, however, had nearly sent us to a French port, for the Guerriere was taken of the Feroe Isles on the 19th July, two days after we passed them.

From the 22d to the 29th, the day on which we set sail for England, we took six whales, making in all twenty-four, of which fourteen were size fish.

On the 26th, an accident happened which was like to have deprived us of one of our boatsteerers; but, fortunately, was not finally attended by any evil consequence. He was thrown out of the boat by the stroke of a whale’s tail, but kept himself on the top of the water by his oar. The crew were in such disorder, that before they got him into the boat, he was almost senseless with cold, and still worse before they could row him to the ship. He was brought down to the cabin, stripped, and laid on a blanket before the fire. His hair was like so many icicles, and the body exhibited a very cadaverous appearance. No pulsation was to be found in any part, and I held a mirror before his mouth without producing the least evidence of respiration. I immediately ordered the soles of his feet to be rubbed with strong brine; his temples were chaffed with strong volatile spirits, and the same were applied to his nose. Hot flannels, moistened with camphorated spirits of wine, were applied to the spine, and over the breast, and renewed every quarter of an hour. Stimulating powders were put to his nose, but without any apparent effect; he never showed the least symptoms of animation; nor could the body be brought to any degree of warmth, notwithstanding being rubbed with hot coarse cloths. As the last resource, I ordered one of the men to blow into the patient’s mouth, as strongly as he could, holding his nostrils at the same time lest any of the air should escape. When I found, by the rising of the chest, that the lungs were properly inflated, I ordered him to quit blowing, and with my hand pressed down the chest and belly, so as to expel the air. This imitation of natural respiration was pursued for a short time, till, putting my hand on his left breast, I found his heart give some feeble beats: soon after, the pulse at the wrist was found to beat. In a short time he opened his eyes, and looked round in wild amaze; then shut them again. As soon as he was able to swallow, I gave him a gentle cordial, which was repeated every five minutes, till he was a great deal recovered. The Captain was so kind as to order him to be put into his own bed, with two of the men, one on each side, to bring him the sooner to a natural heat. Plenty of clothes being put over them, he soon fell into a profound sleep and gentle perspiration, and so remained for two or three hours, when he awoke quite well and refreshed, but had rather a wild look. On giving him a glass of brandy, he arose and went to his own berth as before. All the time I was on board, the poor fellow expressed the greatest gratitude to me, and thankfulness to God, for thus being providentially rescued from the grasp of death. It is almost needless to remark, that in this inclement region, swimming is of little or no use to any person who may chance to fall overboard, as his muscular motion is almost instantaneously obstructed by the intensity of the cold.

Colds and coughs are the disorders most prevalent among sailors in this country. Sometimes the scurvy breaks out amongst them, but I never saw any symptoms of it. Fractures, dislocations, sprains, bruises, cuts, and frost-biting, give the surgeons a good deal of trouble. A certain complaint, either contracted in England, or the Orkney or Shetland Isles, is very common.

The Resolution did not lose a single man in either of the voyages I made to this country. By the blessing of Providence, they were again all safely restored to their native land.

30th, Latitude 76° 37´; Longitude, as near as we could calculate, 1° West. Steered due south. The men were employed in cleaning the ship, drying the lines, &c.

From July 1st to July 5th, course southerly. Weather fine, but hazy. Ice diminishing, and the sun getting gradually nearer the horizon. Saw several whales; they were now become extremely furious, and made considerably more noise in blowing.

Voyagers are, in these high latitudes, often surprised and delighted by the appearance of mock suns and moons, but I was not so fortunate as to perceive any. The frozen particles floating in the atmosphere are supposed to be the cause of these phenomena.

From the 5th to the 7th, wind at N. E. Course S. S. W. Lat. 71° 10´. Greenland ships, from their clumsy make, when heavily loaded, sail with but very little expedition.

July 8th, Strong breeze from E. N. E. Course S. S. W. ½ W. Ice totally gone. Sun almost coincident with the horizon.

From the 8th to the 17th, excellent weather. Course generally S. S. E. ½ E. On the 17th, we fell in with the westernmost of the Feroe Isles. Our dead reckoning was considerably to the east.

The Feroe Isles lie 70 leagues N. W. from Unst, in Shetland, and extend to 62° 30.´